Brand New Day
by Titania Le Fey
Summary: Snake is watching the sunrise the morning after activating the Sword of Damocles when he is approached by Brazen who had been searching for him in the mountains.
1. So Close

Brazen stood stunned for a moment after the darkness settled in. The feeling of calm that the lack of technological hum in the background brought was a relief to a deep part of her which remembered the simplicity of her mother. Slowly, she let the chaos fill in. The whole force was in disarray. You would think they had never lived through a power outage. Though, in their defense, this one bore the knowledge that it would be permanent.

Brazen started walking but paused when she came to the spot Plissken's hologram had stood. He was the antithesis of the madness that surrounded her. Even when he was told he might die there was not a hint that he had lost that stoic façade. Snake was not chaotic but precise with a military precision people had discovered too late. The man was anything but stupid.

Her eyes turned up to the ridge ringing her position. Susan couldn't help but wonder where he was. The holocam had audio send and receive but not visual. That meant he had to be close enough to see who and what was going on with the naked eye. A shiver crawled up Brazen's spine. He wasn't a half mile away like Malloy suspected. He was close. The patrols would hit that maximum distance thinking he was trying to stay away and in the end pass him by. The Snake would slip past their flanks and disappear just as he said would happen.

She admired his tactics and abilities even if she would never admit it. Plissken was efficient, level headed and resourceful. Those were all traits she admired in herself and oddly the other police didn't like them as much. She had to wonder if that was part of the raging hatred they had for Plissken.

"Brazen."

Malloy's voice stunned her when she realized that she was still staring at the ridge. "Sir?"

"We are regrouping at the Deportation Center. You should be ready to brief the men on tracking Plissken at first light."

Brazen nodded. By first light he would be miles gone in who knew what direction. There would be nothing to brief them on come morning. Brazen kept that point to herself. Malloy walked away and Brazen glanced back to watch him for a moment. She hated how they treated her, more like a computer full of knowledge than a person. It was the only thing she disliked about her position, that and Malloy himself.

Susan resumed her scan of the area. He had to be up to see over the trees or in a clearing. He had to be close enough to see when people were talking to his hologram. Her mind turned over the information she had. Backlit or forelit? She tried to deduce the position most advantageous. His hologram wouldn't show if things were back lit so he had to be behind the fire looking over it. She spun around to observe the dying fire from the helicopter crash. It was still too bright to see the hills behind. Cover, that fire had kept them from noticing.

Susan's mind replayed the crash. The hills behind the fire would have been on the passenger side. He had to crawl across and jump out before the crash and out of the explosions range. Brazen approached the fire and stood with it over her left shoulder as she peered into the sparsely forested hillside. Halfway up there was a clearing that seemed level with a huge rock.

Her eyes went wide. He'd probably been close enough to hear them talking without the audio capabilities. Instantly her nerves were on end. He could be right there in front of her. Brazen was momentarily terrified but it swiftly passed. Plissken wouldn't risk taking a shot with so many officers still on the field behind her. Now was her chance.

Susan started up toward the clearing intent on tracking down a Snake before she had to brief the men in the morning. 


	2. Snake Among the Rocks

Snake sat on the bank waiting for the sun to rise over Mount Lukens. He pulled another cigarette from the pack he'd found. As luck would have it he'd found a can of beer along the way. It was warm as piss but it still tasted amazing. It'd been years since he had gotten his hands on anything besides home distilled shit that could probably be used as gasoline if one went by the taste. This was a beer though. Cracking the tab he took a small but grateful swig. Plissken froze with the can still pressed to his lips when he heard the voice.

"Why'd you do it Snake?"

"Do what?" Plissken replied with a disinterested tone before recommitting to the sip of beer he had started.

"Why did you shut everything down? Why did you destroy civilization?"

Snake sighed putting the beer down between his legs. The faint light was creeping into the horizon. "I had to, for freedom." Brazen grunted with disgust in response and Snake hesitated before glancing back at her. "What was it like to be a cop?"

He took a long drag from his cigarette before turning back to the rising sun.

"I don't know. Busy." Her shadow shrugged as she continued. "We always had people like you to contend with."

"Like me?" Snake motioned toward the boulder next to him with the beer can before taking another drink. There was no more USPF but there was still something unnerving about having a blackbelly, even a former one standing behind him. "You know what it was like on the streets while you were "busy"?"

Brazen's bobbed hair shook as she sat down. "You starve because the government has all the food. If you sleep in one damned place too long the fucking crazies come and tear you apart in your sleep. The few things you do have left to enjoy; drugs, sex, booze. You enjoy yourself; try to be happy and you get this." He motioned back toward the LA Deportation Center whose roof was shining like gold in the distance behind them. Snake flicked his ashes into the grass waiting for a response that didn't come.

"We're all free now." He continued taking a puff from the cigarette. "Me from the laws and you…" He reached toward her and terror drained the color from her face. She had that look of a deer staring at a hungry tiger. Snake shook his head as a faint smile appeared. Plissken tapped her badge with a finger. "You're free from their lies.

Snake pulled his arm back and took another gulp from the can though his eye stayed on the woman next to him. Finally she let out the breath and slowly began to relax again. Snake kicked back leaning against the rocks. This was the first sunrise he'd seen in years that didn't mean the beginning of another day of running...

"They were not that bad?" Brazen finally added as she pulled at the dry, fall grass.

"Do you remember the war Brazen?" He asked curiously.

"I was only a little girl when it broke out."

"Hmmm?" Snake nodded. "I was there in the beginning. I went on the first assault on Russia and every fucking one after till I left." Snake tossed the burnt out cigarette aside and clasped his hands together. "Things changed."

"What things?" Plissken looked over to see Brazen staring at him with intent inquisitiveness one would expect from a child.

"Leningrad." Snake spat the words out with all the hatred that still fueled his soul.

"The Ruse? I remember it. A failed rescue attempt, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, only there was no one to rescue." He was surprised to hear the sadness in his own voice.

"What do you mean, "No one to rescue"?" The shock was evident as was the disbelief.

The Snake looked over at her from the boulder he had begun to stretch out on. "What I said. It was all a fucking lie. We were all supposed to die so America'd get pissed off at the Russians again. The spy, yeah, was a boy not a fucking high ranking official or whatever the bullshit was they put out." Snake closed his eye against the sun and frowned. He'd thought this would have ended all the guilt and regrets from the past but inside nothing seemed to change. The hatred and pain still burned there like an over-stoked locomotive engine and it was still barreling forward.

"That's why you did it?"

Snake broke from his darkening thoughts to glance over at Brazen. The woman was leaning toward him but as soon as he looked she darted back to her previous position. He wondered why. "What? The bombings?"

He caught Brazen's nod out of the corner of his eye. She was silent for awhile and he could hear the rustling of her coat. "I read the articles about them." She finally stated. "One of the people interviewed said that the bombings were because of the Ruse and your parents were killed."

Snake's eye shot over at her. He remembered those papers, seeing his face decorating the front page for the first time. It was Taylor in a way almost as distant as the last time he'd saw him alive. He had been the anonymous interview from Deadwood. "Those are still around?"

Brazen's hair bobbed more.

Snake smiled thinking about the days when it was just Taylor running with him. He wished Taylor was here now to taste the freedom that had finally been brought back even if it was in a crude way. Finally Plissken's eye settled on the distant deportation center. Black dots like ants were crawling feverishly through the compound and he started to wonder if it would mean more running.

Snake glanced over at Brazen. She was looking in the same direction. That he didn't much like and his attention turned back to the Deportation center. The black ants were starting to collect at the gate and Snake knew it was time to move on. He finished off his beer and tossed the can aside before standing to stretch. As he pulled on his jacket Snake surveyed the valley before he started down the slope away from the gathering ants on the farside.

"Plissken, where are you going?"

Snake stopped and looked back up at Brazen among the boulders. "Away." The word had barely left his lips by the time he was once more moving down into the valley. Rocks started to roll past him. Plissken's brow rose in curiosity as he gazed up the hill toward the source. Brazen was hurrying down among the boulders in his direction.

Brazen skidded to a halt near him sliding on the lose gravel hillside. She was out of breath and flushed. "Snake, let me come with you?"

That wasn't what he thought he would hear from the blackbelly in front of him. "Why?"

"Where else do I have to go?"

There was a sincerity and helplessness to how she spoke. Snake turned back down the slope and started walking again. The rock slide followed him and he started to laugh.

"What?"

Snake stopped watching his companion almost slide past him on the loose rocks. "Didn't they teach you to walk in the Academy?" Plissken continued past her chuckling harder as he heard her huff.

"You…" She was hurrying again he could hear it in her voice but he cut her off.

"If you don't like me go back to the dogs." Snake looked up at Brazen's wide eyes. Plissken started to move again and with it came the landslide from above. Slowly the rocks lessened and she started to keep up. Snake was silent but alert. This was her test, the only one she would get. If she could keep up and be sensible she could stay otherwise he'd disappear like he had planned.


	3. At the Hands of an Enemy

Brazen had to struggle to keep up. He taunted her relentlessly causing her to almost hate him. The urge to wring his neck for the insults kept her moving. It took time but eventually Brazen became aware of his tactics. He wasn't just tormenting her; he was forcing her to keep up through the rough terrain. Once she stopped reacting the banter ceased and Plissken fell silent.

Even sick and wounded Plissken was on the move. Then again perhaps it was the wounds that pushed him on. She could see him weakening as the ground started to level out. The virus and whatever other injuries he had endured were taking a toll on the older man she was following.

Snake stumbled once they were on the level. His body leaned heavily on a tree before he doubled over. The sound of gagging as his empty stomach forced a round of heaves turned Brazen's own stomach. She had to turn away and cover her mouth to settle her own body. Susan knew what would happen next, he would pass out or at least that is what happened to the test subjects in the lab. With a man like Plissken, who knew, he might keep on going right through the whole series.

She was right and the sound of Plissken's footsteps in the gravel started once more. It was easier for her to keep up now that they were in a small town and walking on the road. Plissken's eye was darting between the buildings. He needed to rest; she could see that so the need for shelter was foremost on his agenda.

Brazen barely noticed Plissken's hand gesture. It drew her attention enough and she took note of the boarded up house over a block away. Susan wasn't as sure about the choice as her companion. Inside she had a feeling boarded up meant someone was hunkering down inside. Obviously Plissken didn't agree with her sentiments.

Snake was slowing and the coughing was getting worse along with the gagging but he pushed through it and tried to keep moving. She watched him give the whole area a suspicious gaze from the street corner. He was nervous about something. Brazen suspected maybe he believed she was setting him up. Her own eyes took in the surrounding houses. Admittedly, she was just as uncomfortable about the darkened windows in the early morning light.

Brazen turned back toward their destination but Plissken was gone. There was no way he could move that fast in his condition, could he? She glanced to the left and right, nothing. Finally her eyes turned down to see him prone in the gutter. He'd passed out.

Susan shifted staring down at him. Part of her wanted to leave him and go back to the Force where she belonged. The other part of her that was just starting to understand the motivations of her hardest case urged her to stay, perhaps out of curiosity or admiration. The quandary kept her in place staring down at him. Slowly, Brazen looked up at the house they had been heading for. It was across the street and two lots down.

She needed to make a decision before someone came up on them. He was a criminal, she should leave him to his fate but he was also a human being. Her moral sense was strong and despite being the worst the world had to offer, leaving a sick man in the street was wrong. Her mind was made up.

Squatting Brazen struggled to roll him over. He was a lot heavier than he looked but she managed to get him on his back. Susan knew she would never be able to carry him. She worked the USPF issue coat down beneath him and took a firm grasp on the shoulders. He wasn't much easier to drag across the concrete. Two breaks and over fifteen minutes later she had him in the opposing gutter.

Susan used her body weight to gently roll him up onto the curb and into the grass. She sat briefly beside him checking his busted lip. No damage to the teeth and the lip had already stopped bleeding. He'd be fine. Brazen on the other hand felt sore already. Once more she debated on leaving him. At least now he wasn't in the street.

Brazen froze on that thought. Being in the street didn't much matter now; there wouldn't be any cars to run him down. A smile cracked her failing mood as she thought of the madness in some of the big cities and the uppity government officials with no limousines or chauffeurs. Robertson would no doubt be having one of his tantrums. For once she wouldn't be there for Malloy to pawn the job off on her. Her smile turned to a grin as she got to her feet and took hold of the coat again.

She started to drag him once more and the damp morning grass made her job much easier. It was only a few minutes before she had him to the front steps. To her surprise the door was unlocked. Leaving Plissken for a minute where he lay she drew her pistol to make a sweep. His reputation would keep him safe from anyone coming up on him for the short time she needed.

The house was empty and from the dust on some of the surfaces, had been for awhile. Holstering her weapon she went outside and started the daunting task of pulling him into the house and rolling him onto the couch. Once that was done Brazen flopped down heavily in one of the arm chairs. Dust puffed up around her as she stared across the room at Plissken's limp body.

It would be so easy to turn him in. Maybe then she would be recognized for her quality as an officer. Susan shook her head idly. No, they hadn't given her credit for tracking him in Thailand, why would they give her credit for it in California? Bitterness fueled her decisions as she contemplated what to do. Plissken needed medicine and supplies she didn't have and only knew one place to get.

The New Order of Moral America under Robertson had preached about goodwill and morality. That was one thing she never felt they upheld to the full extent. Was it right to turn in a helpless man or leave him to die? No, not even if he was a criminal. It wasn't as if she would get credit for apprehending him anyway.

The cheated feeling grew until it pushed Brazen to her feet. Heading for the upstairs she found a few blankets and brought them down to cover Plissken. As luck would have it she discovered what she assumed to be a set of house keys as well. If he followed the normal course of the virus he would be in a near coma state for at least 24 hours. That gave her plenty of time to go to the Deportation Center and get back before he woke up.

Susan tucked the blankets in tightly and stared at him. What was she doing? Her mind worked through it. She wasn't stealing. As an officer she had a right to use the supplies at the facility as she saw fit. She was helping a criminal but leaving a man to die was hardly moral by any sense of the words. Coming to the conclusion that she was acting well within the bounds of the law Brazen locked up and started her long trip back to the Center.  



	4. 108 Proof Surprise

Brazen fumbled a little at the door trying to find the right key. She tried to be quiet walking in the front door. Though she didn't think he would kill them, Susan had a necessary caution and a healthy respect for a man as quick as Plissken on the draw. It was easy to see that her worry was unwarranted. Snake was still asleep.

She set her bag on the armchair and was ready to go check on him, Marcy was already there. Her head was shaking each time she checked something.

"He's not doing so hot."

Brazen came over and sat on the coffee table looking at Plissken. His skin was pale except for the red flush to his cheeks. Sweat was pouring off of him as Marcy slid his shirt up to check out the slice across his chest.

"Is this why they call him Snake?" Marcy asked off handed as the tattoo became visible.

"No." Brazen had moved to check the fireplace. The house was chilled and that couldn't be good for Plissken. "Something in the war but I'm not sure what."

Brazen opened the flue and peered up the chimney. It seemed clear enough. Brazen noticed the fireplace was stocked and shrugged to herself as she started making a teepee of kindling on the cast iron rack.

"You want to toss me the lighter, front pocket." Brazen went to work but when there was no answer or lighter skidding across the floor she turned to see what was a matter. The problem was instantly obvious. Snake was awake with a wild look to his eye that made Brazen's hair stand on the back of her neck. His hand was locked around Marcy's throat cutting off even the choking sound.

"Plissken! NO!" Brazen got to her feet and grabbed his arm. "Let her go."

Brazen pleaded with Plissken but he seemed oblivious. Brazen pulled at his fingers only to be shoved to the ground. She was back up and tugging at his arm.

"Snake!" This time he looked at her. "Snake, let her go."

She spoke as calmly as she could. The way he seemed disconnected, the dilation to his pupil and the shaking cued her into what was happening. The fever and pain must have triggered an episode.

"Snake, she's with me. Let her go." Brazen kept using Snake because he seemed to respond to it. Susan heard a deep breath but Plissken hadn't completely let Marcy go. Brazen needed to get him calmed down or they might both die. At least he hadn't drawn a weapon.

"She's a fucking cop!" Snake snarled the words at a tone that caused him to cough.

"She's brought supplies. She won't hurt you."

Plissken finally let go leaving Marcy to stumble frantically away. Plissken still looked wild but his eye was focused on Brazen. She didn't like that feeling. There was no telling who or what he was seeing. It could be anything. Brazen took a deep breath trying to calm and forced a smile.

"It's been a long mission lieutenant. You need to get some rest." It was a gamble but she figured the war was what he saw in these moments, most suffers did. Snake nodded. When he started to visibly relax Brazen pulled the blankets back up.

"I'm going to start a fire and then I'll be back." Susan glanced over at Marcy who was still shaking. Plissken could have killed her. By the time she looked back Plissken seemed to be falling asleep again. Susan backed away and went to check on Marcy.

"He's crazy. You can't stay with him." Marcy whispered in a flustered voice.

"It's the syndrome and the fever." Brazen commented as she checked Marcy's neck. It didn't seem to be bruising, yet.

"He'll kill us."

Brazen stared at her friend and glanced back at Plissken. "You shouldn't have come with me."

"You shouldn't be out here."

Brazen sighed. "He doesn't deserve to be left to suffer."

"He's a criminal. Look at what he did. He's an evil man."

"I think we should sedate him until the fever breaks." Brazen was in no mood for a religious debate.

Marcy looked past Susan and nodded. "Will you help prep him?"

Susan stood up and went back to the couch. "Snake, can you sit up?"

He groaned and ignored her. The sound almost made her laugh. That was hopeless so she pulled down the blankets and cleaned an area of his stomach with alcohol for a pain patch as they called them. They took longer to work but Susan knew that needles were out of the question with Plissken especially as he was.

"Roll up his sleeve."

Snake's eye was instantly open and Brazen felt terror when she saw Marcy pulling a needle from her bag. She instantly snatched it away and hid it in her coat pocket.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Plissken's voice was angry. Susan was regretting bringing Marcy out here.

Susan turned to Snake and smiled. "Nothing. Just about to administer a pain patch and a surprise."

"What surprise?" Snake choked the words out but his eye was firmly focused on Brazen's hand buried in the duffle on the floor.

"A 108 proof one." Susan produced the bottle of Wild Turkey she'd discovered in the stock room. It was probably a confiscation. One would have thought it was Christmas for the look on Plissken's face when she sat the cold bottle on his stomach. Brazen knew he'd drink the whole bottle, if he was awake that long. Snake started drinking from the bottle and Brazen adhered two patches, one on each side of his stomach. He'd have five minutes before he was flying.

Susan stood and motioned for Marcy to join her by the fireplace. Susan had to make good with the fire because Plissken was watching them. If he started thinking something was off who knows what he would do.

"A needle, are you crazy!" Brazen whispered as she balled paper up rather loudly.

"What? Those patches take forever."

"You could have got us killed." Brazen retorted.

"How?"

"You don't know anything about him, do you?" Brazen questioned as she lit the paper and watched the kindling start to crackle.

"No. I don't waste my time learning about criminals and sinful people."

"It's my job." Brazen sighed out the words and propped a few more pieces of wood on the growing fire.

"One you're abandoning."

Susan stood up and made for the back room without a word. She was in no mood to argue about what she was doing. Marcy was right behind her. Susan stopped just inside the back door to hear what her friend had to say.

"Brazen, we should turn him in."

Susan grimaced and shook her head. "So, they can take the credit and torture a dying man?"

"He's a sinful man and the state of this country is because of people like him. Right now, this is all because of him."

The religious debate was starting. Brazen was about to answer when she saw the shadow appear in the doorway to the living room.

"Marcy, I still believe in forgiveness. Maybe he deserves to be in prison but right now he's ill and he deserves medical attention because he's a person who is sick." Brazen wasn't just saying it because he could hear. She believed in those words. If everyone was going to be moral and follow the will of God then they shouldn't forget the part about alleviating suffering.

"That person happens to be a criminal."

"Does that matter? You took an oath to aid the sick. Does that oath have limits?" Brazen asked it more of curiosity than a challenge.

Marcy sighed and shook her head. "So, what do we do when he recovers?"

Brazen looked up to see Plissken was gone. "You won't be here to worry about that."

"And you will?"

Brazen looked down. "I'm not going back yet. This is a chance of a lifetime. How could I pass up traveling with one of my cases?"

Marcy cracked a smile. "Always out for knowledge. Just be safe. He's a dangerous man."

Brazen chuckled. "If his reports are true, I'll be fine. He's never killed a woman."

"What?" Marcy was shocked.

Brazen smiled as she walked toward the wood pile. "The reports say he's never killed a woman. In Jersey they would send female cops after him because they knew he wouldn't shoot them."

"Why?" Marcy bent down to help collect firewood.

"I don't know." Brazen admitted with a shrug.

Marcy was silent for some time before looking over at Brazen. "I think I understand why you are doing this. Just be safe. I hope to see you again sometime."

"I can take care of myself. You be careful too." Brazen would miss Marcy but she had confidence that she would see her again. Brazen only planned on traveling with him for a few days. Not much could happen in that time. "We should go check on Plissken." 


	5. Medical Attention

By the time Brazen and Marcy returned to the living room with the wood Plissken was out cold. Brazen stacked the logs before helping Marcy.

"Do you think he's out?" Susan asked knowing full well her medical knowledge was nowhere near Marcy's.

She smiled as she glanced over at him. "How full was that bottle?"

"Only a drink or two out of it. Why?" Susan finished and stood up staring at the perhaps two shots left. "They weren't joking about how much he likes whiskey."

Marcy laughed finally relaxing. "They put that in his reports?"

"When drinking is illegal and you're an alcoholic…." Brazen let her voice trail off as she went over to the couch.

"You have a point." Marcy joined her sitting on the coffee table. "We should sew up that slice while he's out. Sewing isn't going to set him off again is it?"

Brazen shrugged and poked Plissken in the ribs. "I don't think he'll notice."

Marcy pulled out her surgical kit and started working by fire light. "He looks dead."

"It's a defense mechanism." Brazen responded as she worked off Plissken's shirt.

"Huh?" Marcy didn't understand at all but started work cleaning the wound.

"Many of the people living on the street sleep like that. They believe it will keep the crazies away and the silence will keep them hidden from us." Brazen was working on removing his boots to take care of the gun shot wound.

"It must work." Marcy was diligently repairing the laceration from Cuervo's blade.

"It must." Brazen agreed as she finished striping Plissken down to his boxer briefs. That's when she stopped as she folded his pants. His legs were so scarred. She touched the one she knew was from New York and the arrow but the rest she could only guess.

"Brazen."

Susan looked up and took a beat before she responded. "The gunshot looks bad and infected already."

Marcy slid down to look at the raw wound. It was bad and burning red a half inch all around. "What were you staring at?"

Susan flushed when she realized Marcy had noticed. "All the scars. The things he must have survived."

"There are a lot but he seems to be good at making them." Marcy added as she handed Brazen some ointments for the infection.

"There must be a hundred stories to them." She commented watching Marcy clean the dirt from the hole in his leg.

"If he told you the truth." Marcy retorted.

"What reason would he have to lie?" Brazen asked curiously.

"Who knows." Marcy admitted as she left the wound to Brazen's care and preparded bandaging. "He's lied before."

Brazen thought about that for a moment and shook her head as she rubbed in the antibiotics. "I've never seen anything in his record saying he's ever lied about anything. Not even his crimes."

"Really?" Marcy was surprised. "He's admitted to everything?"

"As far as I know…. Yes."

"Strange for a man like him." Marcy added as she and Brazen wrapped his leg.

"Everyone has limits of what they will do." Susan shrugged.

"He'll rob a bank but not lie." Marcy shook her head. "Can't say I understand."

They tied off the bandaging and started covering him. "That's what makes his case so interesting. He's a contradiction but there's logic in there somewhere because his behavior repeats over and over to the point that it is so predictable that people second guess their own intuition around him. He did it to us in LA."

"I don't understand how that is interesting." Marcy stated as she began sterilizing and repacking her things.

"I never understood the fascination with disease." Brazen countered. The women exchanged a look and smiled.

"I think I need to rest before traveling back. Will you be alright here alone with him?"

Susan nodded. "What are the chances he'll wake up anytime before tomorrow afternoon?"

"You've got a point." Marcy stood. "I'll see you in the morning."

The two women embraced for a brief moment before Marcy headed for the back room.

"Sleep well." Susan called.

"Be safe." Marcy replied leaving Brazen staring down at the sleeping Snake. 


End file.
